


Awakening

by rosemary_madness



Category: Rick and Morty
Genre: Alpha Rick, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Angst, Blood Kink, Blood Sharing, Bottom Morty Smith, Dacryphilia, Explicit Sexual Content, Knotting, M/M, Masturbation, Possessive Rick, Tags May Change, Violence, but NO mpreg bc i aint about that, idk weird abo stuff??, omega morty, sort of...
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-10
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-01-31 16:04:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12685263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosemary_madness/pseuds/rosemary_madness
Summary: He could feel it happening; the growl of his heart and the sharpening of his canines accompanying a very tight erection in his pants.He snarled at the thought that he, he was positive they were male, was somewhere with other people at the moment, probably with their family-- gods forbid he was with a lover, if that unlucky beta wanted to die peacefully.He made it onto his terrace, deep howl cutting through the billowing autumn winds long after he had retreated back inside to get ready.Pushing his way out into the courtyard and into the quiet city, his perfectly shined boots sloshed in the early snowfall as the wolves of his pack slowly trickled in from the woods.“You smell that? We’re going to find him. Kill anyone in the way.”His omega was finally awakening.





	1. Casus Belli

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome to the fic! I decided to write an A/O/B fic because I love them so much and would like to see more of it for RickMorty as it has lots of psychological and societal aspects that are interesting to play around with. 
> 
> Just a note for the beginning, there is a LOT of exposition at the start due to me being an awkward turtle who is working on setting up this different society. BUT, I promise that the story starts to pick up (hopefully) quickly. 
> 
> As always, (kind) comments and kudos are greatly appreciated. 
> 
> ALSO, thank you to my amazingly wonderful beta @JJCross ♥ you are awesome!
> 
> (If you have read my other fic "Galaxy on His Skin," I promise you that I have not abandoned that story for this one. I will be working on both.)

_Just another repeat of yesterday._

His body begged him to stay in bed, aching and shivering despite his pile of blankets and the sweat clinging to his sheets. He hated being late to class and recoiled at the thought of the punishment, but he just couldn’t move.

Morty never wanted to stand out. Despite the strong political opinions of his parents, he was okay with his life and was happy to live the routine within the bounds of beta society. Sure, it was redundant and dull, but it was manageable, and even comfortable, for him to live a life he could chart the path of.  He was never one for uncertainty, and he was certainly not one to favor conflict, preferring the regulated classroom to his sometimes explosive home, full of arguments.

Some would say he was the perfect beta.

As he struggled out of his cocoon of blankets and into the cold winter chill that seeped into the home, he whined with a steadily intensifying headache. _You’ve got this._

 _It’s just class. It’ll be fine. Don’t even have to deal with awkwardly staring at Jessica anymore!_ he thought to himself, coaxing his tired body into action.

For most of his life, Morty had a longstanding crush on his childhood neighbor and long-time classmate Jessica Meyers. Through elementary, middle, and the majority of high school, Morty could think of nobody he’d want to spend the rest of his life with except for Jessica, even masturbating to the thought of her when he felt that primal itch. But as he grew older, he found he could no longer get off on the thought of the redhead. As time drew by and he turned 16, 17, and now almost 18 and finishing his first week of college, he spent more time rutting uncomfortably into his desk or his pillow with nothing to sate the need.

Surely it had to do with getting older and letting go of childhood fantasies, he reasoned. Maybe it was the years of being reminded that she was far out of his league or  that he needed to focus on the new chapter of his life in college, stirring him from his little fixation.

 _Yeah, that’s probably it_.

He looked into the bathroom mirror, dark circles underlining his eyes, cheeks burning scarlet, and small frame shaking beneath his yellow sweater. He looked like a trainwreck.

Lost in thought, Morty soon found himself in the kitchen, nibbling on a slice of bread as he waited for his sister to come down and walk with him to campus.

Due to his parents both having work at early hours of the morning, the family rarely ate breakfast together. Instead, everyone would just grab a quick snack before running off to fulfill their schedules. At least tomorrow would be Morty’s birthday, he smiled. They’d actually have a meal together. And hopefully not fill it with politics.

He understood why his parents didn’t love the government. They had to work long hours, jobs weren't always safe--especially in areas like manufacturing that Morty’s father worked in-- and there’s little to do with any free time an individual happened to have left. But again, was it bad enough to stir up the anger of an alpha? For Morty, that was a strong no. He’d heard of what alphas were capable of, stories from nightmares, of what they would do to win a match in the pit, and it drove Morty to a dizzying fit of nausea. From what he’d heard from his parents and whispers between classmates, alphas could break a beta’s arm without a sweat and howled at the moon when they were desperate for blood.

But those rumors paled compared to the tales of Rick Sanchez, leader of everything Morty knew. Supposedly, this nation’s leading alpha was even more fearsome. He was known to rip people in half if they displeased him and then feed the remains to his hungry pack of wolves.

He had already been nauseous, but now Morty was gagging at the mental image he’d unwittingly conjured. He hoped he’d never have to come face to face with an alpha.

\------

The day seemed to drag by even more than usual for Morty, thanks largely to the sick feeling he had in his stomach. It had grown even worse since that morning, going from simple nausea to a burning ache in his core that sent beads of sweat trickling down his forehead. He was dizzy, and quivered at every sensation, from lifting his head to being tossed about by the November breeze. Thank gods he was sitting in a lecture hall now or else he was sure he’d be curled up on the curb at this point.

Was he worried about his birthday tomorrow? And if so, why? When a person turned 18, coming of age as an adult, they were given their official beta ID and the opportunity to have a later curfew, start a factory job, or mate-- What would make Morty stressed about that…?

The bell tolled, telling the students that they would now move on to their next class, pulling a sickly groan from the now panting student as he tried to breathe through a constricting chest.     

_Only one more class to go. Keep your shit together for just a little longer, and you’re home free._

Though he made the same trek every day, Morty looked exhausted as he struggled over to the calculus lecture hall. He had to stop and catch his breath before he walked through the door and sat in the closest seat available before plopping his spinning head onto his backpack, uncaring of what consequences may come of it.

“Normally, I wouldn’t care how much of a lazy ass you are, Morty, but today’s an exception,” Professor Goldenfold called from the front of the room, a kind edge in his voice as he knew Morty was never one to slack off.

By sheer force of will, Morty somehow found a way to lift his head up, propping it on one of his clammy hands, but that was all he could do. There was no way he could focus on whatever presentation the class was having today as he was obviously catching the flu or some kind of other winter sickness.

“I know y’all already got this presentation back in high school, but I’m required to give it as more of you come of age. So don’t flap your mouths at me and just shut up like you normally do when I ask questions for calc.”

Yeah, he didn’t need to listen. It was all that mumbo jumbo about omegas, individuals that had never shown up in Morty’s lifetime. He praised the gods he wasn’t one of them, as it was said that they were essentially sex slaves to the insatiable alphas, ripped apart by the inside as some kind of knot linked the two together for life. He was going to be 18 tomorrow, so it was too late for him anyway. He let his eyes lull into his head as he tried to tame his racing pulse.

“So when some people turn 18, which many of you already have, they go into what is called a heat. It’s essentially a hyper... Alphas present much earlier at 6...” Morty could hear parts in and out of consciousness, remembering some of it from last year. “--self-lubricant-- shut up, Terry! It’s probably not lucky, you gross little fuck. Anyways, a self-lubricant that prepares them for an alpha...”

Morty was half asleep and had quelched the pain a little bit when another student bumped into him on their way to the door. He involuntarily yelped as a bolt of lightning went down his body and directly into the erection he hadn’t realized he was sporting, becoming acutely aware of it now as it jumped to the pulse of his heart and ached like never before.

He could feel the eyes of everyone in the room glued to him from his odd reaction, and coughed as he thought up an explanation.

“You-You-Your belt scratched my back, dude? And… And I was kind of dozing off, so-so didn’t-I wasn’t expecting it… Sorry, Professor.” At least the idea of him being embarrassed from dozing off could explain away his blush-- not that he needed to explain, but it just helped…

Throughout the remainder of the class period, Morty tried to keep his eyes open and attentive, to the best of his ability. However, as he did so, his internal dialogue switched from  _“fuck me_ ” to “ _fuck life_ ,” as he heard some comparable symptoms of a heat to his mysterious illness, simultaneously trying not to get some friction from the desk and onto his pulsing erection.

_I can’t be an omega… that’s fucking ridiculous… That’s stupid. They’re so rare, and people say I am-I’m the perfect beta!_

“They will do anything, and I mean anything to find an alpha who can help meet their needs and… fill them… appropriately. Oh, and their smell! We don’t have as strong senses as alphas, but you should be able to tell if someone smells rather enticing--”

This was shit. This was all just a crazy coincidence that connected in his mind because of how sick and anxious he was about being sick. Why would he even think he’s an omega; he didn’t share _all_ the symptoms, like “self-lubricating”? He just had an erection, and he’s had those plenty of times. And smelling good? Morty could fucking laugh at himself now. He was a sweating, disgusting mess, not some pheromone magnet. Yep, he was ridiculous, and so were omegas.   

“If you somehow find yourself near an omega, call the authorities immediately. If you do, you will get a reward from the emperor himself!”

There was another wave of nausea colliding with the others in his stomach as Morty thought about the emperor again. The alpha.

\------

After the class lecture ended, Morty ran as fast as his shaking body would carry him, doing his best to avoid questions and get home to take care of his now painful erection.

“Wow, did you actually put cologne on today? You don’t smell terrible,” Summer jabbed as she caught up and followed her brother down the frosted concrete. Morty only sweat even more. What the fuck was going on? Was everyone playing a joke on him when things were finally starting to go alright for him?

“Ah-Um yeah… Ha ha. Just um, trying it out. Now that I’m gonna-gonna be an adult and all.” More sweat uncomfortably trailed down his slick back.

“Huh, not bad, Morty. Must be pretty good considering how much you’re sweating today. I should tell Ethan to get it. Wait.” Morty’s breath caught in his throat. “No, no that’s weird and gross.” Summer started to trail into a conversation with herself. “My boyfriend using the same cologne as my little brother? Ew! Yeah, no.” She turned back to him. “Yeah, forget what I said, but nice job growing up a bit. Maybe you won’t be too bad of an adult after all,” she beamed before turning her attention to her cell phone and walking lazily behind Morty.

 _Thank the gods she didn’t happen to have that presentation today!_ He smiled at the little thread of luck. Though it did cause him to wonder what would happen if he did end up being an omega. Or even if Summer had connected the pieces and simply _suspected_ Morty was an omega? Would his own sister give him up for that reward Professor Goldenfold talked about...?

_Just don’t think about it!_

\------

Morty plopped down onto the couch the moment he got home. Dinner would be ready soon, and he didn’t have the energy to make it up to his room to masturbate. Besides, even if he did, he had a sick feeling that something would go wrong, only leaving Morty with more questions than the thousands already swarming his mind.

“Morty, could you come help me for a sec?” his mom asked from the kitchen, voice more tender than the spent tone she typically had after work.

When he stumbled into the kitchen, backpack still on, he was surprised to see his dad sitting at the table as well, both parents giving him a small smile that made Morty even more terrified than navigating through campus that day. They stared for a for a few long, tense seconds, not saying a word.

“Uh… what did you need help with, Mom?”

Both parents stopped staring before Beth finally responded:

“Oh, sorry, honey. Your father ended up helping me with it just before you got in here. But, you can take a seat at the table since it’ll be ready soon!”

Morty was sure he’d throw up now.

“Okay,” he ground out. Each movement sent another shock to his very sensitive erection, brushing around the top of his jeans as he sat down and prayed that he could somehow melt away and disappear.

“So,” his dad, Jerry, started slowly as Beth made her way into the seat across from Morty. “You’re turning 18 tomorrow! That’s exciting, right, big guy?”   

“Sure, Dad, just like any old day… ha.” _Please let this conversation end! I’m begging the gods_.

Beth soon broke into the conversation. “Morty, have you noticed anything different today?” His stomach lurched at the question. She knew.

“And I’m only asking because I’m trying to look out for you. We both are. Are you feeling okay?”

“You smell really nice!” Jerry pushed enthusiastically like it would do something to calm his son’s nerves. What was he supposed to say?

“Um… no… Um-Uh-Why do you ask?”

“I’m going to be honest with you, Morty,” Beth said, giving a solemn look. “You smell very... different, and you-you seem off. I’m getting worried.”

Morty couldn’t take it any longer. His clothes were soaked in sweat, and his erection had to get out of his jeans. Now.

His parents called after him, but he was deaf to it, seeing nothing but a blur of colors as he nearly crawled up the stairs and into his room before he began vomiting into his wastebasket.

\------

He doesn’t remember when, but after exhausting himself sweating and retching every other moment, Morty dozed off into an uncomfortable sleep curled up on the floor. When he woke, he was more spent than he had been before, and was instantly hit with the smell of vomit crawling around his room. It was dark now, and cold without the kiss of the sun through the window, so he had to squint to make out the numbers on the clock.

12:30AM

What a way to start adulthood. He tried to get up and search for his lamp switch when he felt something slick gliding down his bare leg. He froze.

He’d been ignoring it--knew that if he did anything, it would only prove what he never wanted to hear, but he couldn’t ignore it any longer. Skimming the top of his waistband, he dipped his hand into his boxers, prompting an immediate gasp.

\------

He could feel it happening; the growl of his heart and the sharpening of his canines accompanying a very tight erection in his pants.

He snarled at the thought that he, he was positive they were male, was somewhere with other people at the moment, probably with their family-- gods forbid he was with a _lover_ , if that unlucky beta wanted to die peacefully.

He made it onto his terrace, deep howl cutting through the billowing autumn winds long after he had retreated back inside to get ready.

Pushing his way out into the courtyard and into the quiet city, his perfectly shined boots sloshed in the early snowfall as the wolves of his pack slowly trickled in from the woods.  

“You smell that? We’re going to find him. Kill anyone in the way.”

His omega was finally awakening.


	2. Res Gestae

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was the move that sent shivers down an alpha’s spine, convinced them that Rick Sanchez was the worst of their fears outside of never knotting an omega as he stared unshaken into the audience with a clear message.
> 
> Stand in my way, and this will be you too.
> 
> He won.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god! I just want to start by saying thank you SO MUCH for the wonderful comments, awesome bookmarks, super subscriptions, and kind kudos all of you have left on the first chapter :D I am so lucky to interact with such lovely people. 
> 
> I said I was going to update the fic this Friday, but I couldn't wait any longer, so here is the next chapter! I really hope it's an okay addition! More exposition woo! 
> 
> Oh! And there is some latin in this chapter, so I will leave some translations in the notes below for ya ^_^ If you would like to know more about this world/dimensions, then feel free to ask in the comments or on Tumblr, and I would be happy to answer to the best of my non-spoiler ability ♥♥♥

Rick was a tough leader, the perfect alpha. Strong, resilient, deadly. He was ready at any moment to strike, poised to kill any and all who stood in his way.

He had to be that way as a member of society’s most blood-thirsty class. But he was better, better than the system anticipated at maintaining detached brutality, even within his own bloodline.

That is, after all, how he made his way to the top of the globe, all trembling at his feet.

Since the beginning, there has been an incredibly small number of omegas. Due to this issue, not every alpha has the opportunity to mate. After wars that only ended in the deaths of more omegas and slaughtered betas that were forced to fight in their armies, the question arose of how alphas could more efficiently determine who would lay claim to a mate. The answer?

The _Certamina inter Fratres_.

These millennia old fights pit alphas against one another in duels of physical prowess, the trademark of the class. Each winner would then move through a circuit of more matches, competing with other alphas who lusted after power and the prospect of marking a mate, until the final winners were named the leaders of each nation and therefore the first to mate in that region.

What happens in the pit is bloody to say the least. With strength twice that of a beta, teeth sharpened into a growl, and a desire to satiate their inner animal, the matches often result in injury with the first swipe, even with a No Weapon policy. It isn’t uncommon for fingers, a nose, or eyesight to be lost, or even limbs to be rendered immobile, but Rick Sanchez was a beast only whispers of the ancestors could speak of, even at the minimum age of 16 years old.

His blue eyes that shone ice would claw into the opponent first, indicating the level of mercy he would deal in his quickly followed attack to the almost hypnotized victim. He’d often reach for the throat, directly onto the jumping life force bobbing in their jugular, clawing at it like it would summon an omega. And on more than one occasion, a limb was torn off and thrashed about under his bared teeth like a rabbit in the clutch of a wolf.

Many thought that would be the extent of his aggression, but as Rick sped through the circuit and drew closer to victory, the attacks grew more brutal and more direct.

Coming into the final level of competitors, the last boundary standing in his way, he demonstrated nothing would ever stop him from winning: not fairness, not mercy, not family.  

Rick, formally Ricardo Sanchez, descendant of one of the first alphas-- Sanchez--came from a long line of leading alphas. This line included his father, Maximiliano Sanchez, ruler and protector of the highly coveted and predominantly Sanchez-led monarchy in Caudam Fortem. A strong alpha himself, well-respected, and a skilled fighter in each strain of the word, he was a formidable foe.

According to the rules, each leader of the countries would have to defend their title every eight years in order to stay in power, despite potentially being mated. So was the case with Maximiliano, who now found himself pitted against the evidence of past victory, his own son.

As the two entered the pit, the option to switch opponents mutually declined, there was a hush that spread through the stands. No one knew what would happen. Would the father and seasoned victor show dominance over his blood, and if he wanted to, could he? Would Rick forsake his chance to assert dominance to maintain the bond to his personal alpha, his father, despite all of the bloodshed he’d already caused? It seemed this may actually be the case as the pair extended their arms for a handshake, but suddenly and invisibly for anyone but his knowing father could see, Rick’s eyes glassed over and shattered into jagged edges, promising blood to be spilled.

Maximiliano took one step back before his son grabbed hold of his arms that once cradled him and twisted them until they cracked and fell limp at his sides. Throwing him into the dirt sullied with sweat and blood drying into paste, Rick proceeded to pin his injured father down before he ripped the manhood from between his hips, prompting a unanimous silence broken only by a triumphant howl from the assaulting son. The swift fist through the once victorious king’s throat seemed merciful in comparison. No one had ever dared to make a eunuch of another alpha, no one except Rick Sanchez.

This was the move that sent shivers down an alpha’s spine, convinced them that Rick Sanchez was the worst of their fears outside of never knotting an omega as he stared unshaken into the audience with a clear message.

 _Stand in my way, and this will be you too_.

He won.

As the overarching winner for the year, he had first pick of the country he would now rule, settling on Cor Bestia for its larger population and therefore higher chances of finding his omega.

And he praised the supposedly nonexistent gods that he had done so, as he finally had the chance to meet the one he killed for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow so a lot more violence in this chapter! I told my beta that I didn't think there was enough of it, but she said we were good for now. What do you think? And what do you think of Rick so far? I'm very curious :) 
> 
> "Certamina inter Fratres"- roughly translated to mean struggle between brothers in latin-- these are the competitions between alphas that take place throughout the chapter 
> 
> "Caudam Fortem"- roughly translates to mean tail of the brave in Latin-- this is the world's equivalent to Mexico 
> 
> "Cor Bestia"- roughly translated to mean the heart of the beast in Latin-- this is this world's equivalent to the United States 
> 
> Again, if you have more questions about this world like why there are so many Latin terms (yes, there actually is a reason) then please don't be afraid to reach out and ask :D I love talking about this dimension with people and have even thought about starting a separate Tumblr for it (though I'm really hesitant on that idea haha) 
> 
> ANYWAYS, hope you enjoyed the chapter! (◕‿◕✿)


	3. Natalem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What a birthday...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! I am back with another addition woohoo! 
> 
> Now, if you have an urge to remind me and beat me with a stick, I know. It's still more fucking exposition (boo), but I swear to god that our duo is going to meet in exactly two chapters (first, we gotta see what good ol' Rick is up to-- aka I want to show people the wolves that I think are cool haha). I'm actually writing their meeting scene as we speak. 
> 
> Again, thanks for reading this story! You guys are great.

He wasn’t sure if he was awake. Everything seemed blurry yet overwhelming, like looking through distorted glass. His skull screamed in pain, and he felt dizzy as if the world were moving under him. Something about his surroundings didn’t feel right, and he tried to get up when a jolt of pain forced him back down, a groan escaping him.

“We’re almost there, hunny! Just hold on a few more minutes.”

So they were moving. But where were they going? When had they left? Morty started to feel panicked as more questions dashed through his muddled mind, body shivering with fear.

_Oh my gods are they trying to give me up? Do they want that reward?_

He fought back the need to lie down, doing all he could to move, and managed to sit up, teetering in his seat.

“Are-Are you send-reporting me?” Tears started to fall. He was scared. What if they were driving to give him away? Would they do that?

“Gods no! Morty, we’d never do that,” came his mother’s reply. She must have been driving, the sound of her voice coming from the left, though his eyes couldn’t make her out. He felt delusional with the thought, but Morty swore he could feel some sort of excitement in her voice.

He continued to cry, worried about what was going to happen to him, to his family, when he felt a hand come out to steady his shoulder.

“We’re taking you somewhere safe, Morty. That fuck isn’t taking you away.”

It was odd to hear Summer be so comforting with him, but Morty couldn’t be more grateful for the encouragement. He needed it right now.  

Morty braced himself as the world started to become more clear around him, colors and shadows intensifying too quickly, forcing him to close his eyes and retch once again. He was being compressed and flipped around from the inside, flames spreading through him like a forest fire in his veins, and he closed his eyes against the impact.

“We’re here,” Beth replied, bringing the car to a halt.

Summer put her arms around Morty, and helped slide him out of the car, Jerry waiting there to help carry him to a cabin, frame locked in by the cover of thick pines. Though the cover of trees hid them from the glow of sunlight, he felt like someone was seeing right through him. Like they were watching from afar. It sent a shiver down his spine and a thrill into his dick, erection tight with need.

He closed his eyes and let himself be carried into the small cabin and onto a small bed, waiting until he was alone to open his eyes. Staring down at his pants, he could clearly see the precum, or whatever it was, visible on the outside of his jeans.

So it was true. He really was an omega.

He quickly kicked his pants off, disgusted by their stains, but hesitated with his boxers. This wasn’t the first time he was seeing it like this, but touching himself, jacking off as an omega, felt like some sort of death sentence. But he couldn’t resist. He felt the flames of that fire burning at the tip, begging for some sort of attention, and he needed something to ease it.

There was only a moment’s hesitation before he put his hand under the waistband. He felt the slick of precum coating his cock and each vein thick as thread lining around the length. Morty did all he could to restrain a whine, not wanting his family to burst through the door and see this, putting his free hand over his mouth as a precaution.

He was stroking his cock, working his way up from the base to the tip and back through the slick in an attempt to extinguish this fire, but it wasn’t enough. It only seemed to drive him mad, like wind enlivening the flames. He thrust his hips up into his hands, an action that always seemed to finish him, only coaxing more of this “self-lubricant” to drip down his length and along his body. It crept down his thighs and between his legs, falling against a tight ring of muscles.

As soon as that warmth glided over, Morty cried out. He needed it. He needed something inside of him. But he’d never gone there before, never even thought about touching himself in that way. The idea would have scared him, but this growing need was slowly starting to consume him whole, draining away all thoughts of the outside world. Cautiously, he slid a finger over the entrance.

“Fu-Fuck,” he whispered.

It felt so right. Arms shaking with anticipation, he swirled a finger over his slick before sticking it just inside, tight muscles shuttering around it.

He needed more.

Having just enough foresight to consider being interrupted, Morty flipped onto his stomach and bit down a cry into the pillow. He tried to start slowly, thrusting the first finger in halfway and twisting gently, before he decided he couldn’t take it any longer. He quickly shoved a second finger inside, eliciting another whine, before he began to rut against the mattress underneath him.

Sweat trickled down his body and goosebumps left pinpricks along his skin as they were kissed by the cold air, but Morty only continued to burn. He placed another finger inside, creating a mixture of pain and pleasure that he couldn’t get enough of. Twisting and thrusting each finger quickly to get as much of it before he grew used to the sensation. He increased his speed and replaced a hand onto his cock, mind filling with new fantasies.

He imagined a man on top of him, calling his name, claiming his body as his alone and vowing to always make him feel good, pounding hard into his ass as he spoke. He would send kisses and bites all along his sensitive spine and would touch Morty in all of the right places. As he imagined this, he drew closer to climax and couldn’t help but scream.

“Knot me, alpha!”

He immediately withdrew into himself, body thrown into the ocean and sizzling to a still.

_What the fuck?_

\------

“Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Morty--”

His family played it off, acted like they didn’t hear a thing. Morty knew they must have, but he was grateful they never mentioned it. God what a life, what a day.

A birthday was supposed to be something happy, a celebration of _change_. But as he sat on a creaking stool, surrounded by his family in a dingy little cabin with only the light of a few candles and voices in harsh whispers, he felt nothing but agony. He felt pain for putting his family through this, he felt anger over being a victim of genetics, but most of all he felt an acute sense of hunger.

He could laugh at the thought of change.

For most, change meant extended curfew, getting a job, being able to buy alcohol, but not for Morty. For him, change meant going into heat.

“Happy birthday to you!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor kiddo haha. What a birthday indeed. Perhaps it'll get better though ;) Maybe someone will come around to help... 
> 
> Anyways, thanks for stopping by :D 
> 
> That meeting is coming soon!!


	4. Quaerere Ut Sit Plenum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disobedience will not be tolerated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaaaack! Sorry this update took so long. I really struggled with this chapter, so my beta needed more time to sort through my trash XD I really hope you like this chapter though and hope it was worth the wait! 
> 
> Not quite as much wolf content as I may have hyped this chapter up for, but I'm trying!

The streets suddenly fell silent, the blaring lock down siren abruptly shut off. He wanted absolutely no distractions from the search for his omega, and that included the dulling scent of betas wondering the twilight streets. There was already a curfew, strictly followed here in Mens Cordis, but an added measure wouldn’t hurt. 

He didn’t go into the streets often, preferring the open woods or smaller towns to the congested cities, so the harsh collision of lights seemed as deafening as a scream to his dilated eyes. The city was splattered with blue, pink, and white lights. Betas and their methods of attracting others. Pitiful.

The familiar tone of his link data pad rang in his pocket, stirring him from his train of thought. Four people had just taken their tracking devices out in the neighboring region. 

Each citizen had a tracker in case this very thing happened, and now they had taken it out. Someone was trying to keep him from his mate. A disgusted growl cut through the new silence. 

The sound drew the eyes of his pack, summoning their attention from their search. They gathered around their leader expectantly, waiting for further instruction. 

Barely remembering to put the link back in his pocket before shattering it in his palm, he nodded to the wolves while taking off in a sprint, determined to find the omega, and rip apart those that dared to stand in his way. 

\------

He swiped his hand through the snow, smearing the thick red along the otherwise unblemished surface. It was pleasant to look at, he thought, the streaks of color offering a break from the powdered white surroundings. Running his stained fingers through the snow once again, he watched as the crystals clung to the drying amber and melted, leaving rose-colored droplets in their place. Satisfied with the results, he slipped his leather gloves back on. 

He tried to keep his clothing unsullied during his search, considering the reaction his mate may have to him covered in blood, but he hadn’t been able to control himself in that moment, caught up in the slew of assaulting emotions. 

\---

By dawn, they’d entered a town on the outskirts of the capital region, snow fluttering through the air and dancing off the early morning rays. It was reasonably sized, containing about 400,000 betas, and most were locked inside their wooden cabins, abiding by the still undismissed lockdown until their leader said otherwise. However, there was a group of six young men who swaggered out of a building, groveling about rules and slipping under the radar. 

The scent of an alpha got to them before the barking of the wolves and soon they were darting in different directions, fear choking them into mindless flight. The five wolves caught up quickly, cornering all but one in a roundabout. 

He could let the last one go, or all of them, their actions having no weight on his search, but he just couldn’t let it slide. His blood was overflowing with anticipation, his chest beating to the sound of another with anger matching their fear, and his acute sense of disapproval morphing into disgust. These betas thought they could oppose his laws, in his territory, under these circumstances? He needed to show such disobedience would not be tolerated. 

It wasn’t long before he caught up to the coward, the acidic smell of fear drenching the young man like the tears rolling down his cheeks. It was pathetic really. These testosterone-hungry betas knew there were rules yet chose to break them under  _ his _ leadership. Clearly he was a gentler emperor than he should be.

He all but tore his gloves off, stashing them into his pocket while rolling his sleeves up, and walked over to the beta with a painfully slow pace, letting the boy’s mind run wild with thoughts of his punishment. When he finally approached the shaking frame, legs buckling underneath themselves, he gave a swift kick with the toe of his boot, relishing in the crack of the obviously splintered ribs before dragging the wheezing beta to the center of the town. There, everyone could see what could’ve been them had they not been wise enough. 

“I’d say you’ve got it pretty nice so far. Look at your friends,” he sneered, gesturing to the other betas who were being dragged by a limb or their throat in the mouths of a wolf, each screaming and flailing like it would actually make a difference. 

The pack deposited their catch and sat obediently around their leader, eyes bright as they followed unspoken instructions. Funny how they were considered the animals, he thought. 

“Ple-Please, sir. We-We didn’t mean it,” one of them sputtered, a boy with blond hair and nearly three-quarters his height, trying to get onto his knees. 

All he could see was the line of red trickling from the boy’s nose as he snapped and grabbed the beta by his shredded arm. 

“You didn’t  _ mean _ it? What kind of fucking lie is that, beta?” His grip tightened, eliciting a cry from the boy. “You heard the sirens, and I heard you all talking about not wanting to follow the rules when I first got here,  _ so don’t fucking lie to me _ .” 

Frankly, the weakness of these betas was disgusting. Did they think he was stupid? What kind of excuse was that? They just didn’t mean to get caught. Too bad for them. 

He quickly jerked his own arm up, bringing the boy’s with it and snapping it in two with a violent twist. 

Maybe it was the awakening of his omega, perhaps just the fact he hadn’t killed recently, or possibly he was trying to illustrate his dominance. He wasn’t sure, but he knew he was justified in the matter. 

The boy fell to the ground with a thud, unable to scream in his state of shock, lying in the steadily growing puddle of blood. Figuring he might as well give the other’s a show before they have their turn, he knelt near the boy as his deep voice echoed around him. 

“Did I not mean to tear off your arm either?” 

It was unnaturally silent around him as he spoke, the call of an alpha undeniable even in their great pain. Meaning he got their full attention as he unceremoniously shattered their friend’s skull, shards coating his boot.

Freed from their trance, the boys went back to screaming and flailing, still untouched by the wolves who waited for orders. 

“Collum,” he nodded, allowing the wolves to make their kills. He considered himself generous for granting them such simple deaths. Bitten jugulars were nothing compared to shattered skulls. Whatever. The point was made, and the townspeople were sure to hear their screams from miles away, now intimately aware that disobedience brings consequence. 

This was productive.

\---

He looked at the snow-covered mountain, a small smile on his face as he sat against a stone. He didn’t want to stop, but he owed it to his pack to give them a break after all they’d already done for him. 

One of the smaller wolves, with coal-colored fur and piercing green eyes, slowly sauntered over to the alpha, nuzzling into his side before lying down, resting his head in his leader’s lap. 

He groaned at the thought of the blood-coated fur rubbing off on his clothing, but quickly resigned himself, knowing it was already done, and patted the wolf’s head approvingly. 

“You’ve done well, Arammu,” he stated, earning himself a slobbery hand and wet nose to his abdomen. 

He’d always felt linked to Arammu. Even when he’d just found him as a pup fumbling around in the snow, he knew he would be important to him, and he doubted it had to do with the wolf being the first pup he’d raised. It seemed Arammu knew what to expect before it was said, and he had a sense of the emperor’s emotions, seeing them more clearly than himself. The wolf was also keen on affection, but he could switch quickly and even with his smaller size became the most lethal of the pack. It was safe to conclude that he was the most trusted individual for the emperor, though he would never admit it. 

He continued to pet the wolf, scratching behind his ears and on his side, when his link rang again. Rick had to bite down a rumble in his throat as he thought about what it could be and pulled out the device. 

The small touchscreen device fit into the emperor’s palm perfectly. He did invent it after all, so it was important that it met his specifications. It linked him to his database back at the tower, offering in-depth information on records, schedules, and the management of Cor Bestia, and could make system changes with the click of a code. He’d been waiting for the database to figure out who exactly those four people off the grid were and specifically which one was his mate. His mouth watered as he turned it on and activated the holographic feature. 

He groaned loudly when he saw him, shaking Arammu off and nearly grabbing at his tight slacks.

_ I can’t. Not yet. _ . 

He was so perfect, so fucking perfect in every way, and he was going to be his mate. He bit down on his lip, trying not to moan and involuntarily keened his hips forward. He needed to knot his mate. And soon. 

He briefly considered taking a car or other mode of transportation, but the thought of someone else seeing his mate at the same moment convinced him otherwise. He alone was going to meet his omega, and once they were together then they could take a helicopter. No way in hell he was going to make him walk back to Mens Cordis. 

He got onto his feet, mind running wild with thoughts of his omega and the scent that grew stronger each hour, driving him insane. The break was over. 

“I’m coming, Morty Smith.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god I must really like violence or something bc wow Rick, crushing someone's skull?? Not cool haha. 
> 
> Seriously though, I really hope you guys like this chapter! 
> 
> Also, just remembered this and am telling you now bc I don't know if I'll bring it up: in the past at least, it was super common for omegas to get turned on by alpha violence and the blood of the victims. <\-- am I crazy for thinking this??  
> \---  
> Mens Cordis- latin for "mind of the head" and the name of the capitol city 
> 
> Collum- latin for "neck"


	5. In Primo Aspectu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOD ITS UP! And I really hope you don't hate it XD 
> 
> Merry Christmas or Christmas Eve to those who are celebrating today, happy late Hanukkah to its celebrators as well, happy early Kwanzaa for those who will partake in those festivities, and to everyone else, I hope you are having a nice December and maybe some time off before New Year's ♥♥♥
> 
> I have to admit that this chapter was a real struggle to get done and out to you guys, but it's here woohoo!

Morty woke the next morning with a pulsating headache, his mind blurred with the ever increasing pain. He hadn’t slept well; the lubricant, the pain, and the feel of hungry wolf eyes  leaving him constantly on edge. His skin was burning, and his legs were shaking from the changes as well as the cold. Worst of all, he could hardly move with the tented erection in his pants; the smallest movements of fabric eliciting a soft moan from the young omega.

Knowing he would need to take care of it before greeting his family for breakfast, he turned onto his back, carefully sliding away the sheets and fabric to free his erection. He let a hand creep down his torso, the other over his mouth to ensure privacy. He was surprised to feel a burning ache when he carefully stroked his hand along the weeping length, prompting him to quickly pull away and bite his lip for silence.

He pulled his boxers back up, conceding he would have to leave it for the time being, and twisted out of his fort of sheets to the floor. He stole a look outside the window, awestruck by the flecks of white dancing down to the canvas of sludge and snow. Morty could swear he felt fingers of ice grazing along his back, burning his skin. He shivered, worried at what it might mean.

Shaking away the thoughts, he grabbed a sweater from his bag and quickly pulled it on, unaware of the conversation going on just a hall away. By the time he crept into the kitchen, hands bashfully shielding his front, he barely caught the tail end of it before it abruptly stopped.

“Beth, we could lose our son! He’s only--”

“I know, Jerry! You don’t think I know that? We have to have faith, okay? Or else this will all have been in vain. I’ll do everything I can to keep our family together in the end. Sometimes, we have to make sacr-” Beth was quickly cut off by the sound of her son’s labored steps. The two adults fell silent, waiting for Morty to break through the corridor.

“Hey, sweetie! How are you doing today?” his mother asked, cutting off similar questions from his father.

Morty stared for a moment, seeing an unfamiliar look in their eyes, and took a cautious seat on the other side of the cramped kitchen-living room combo. Perhaps it was just an overreaction, an exaggerated sense he had when trying to hide himself. Everything just seemed off.

“I-I’m fine, Mom… Thanks.”

Both parents quickly busied themselves with making the breakfast rations, and soon Summer slid into the chair nearest her brother, a weary look in her eyes.

“What’s really going on, Morty? You’re not fine,” she prodded quietly, eyeing the boy suspiciously. Of course she would catch on to the behavior, but Morty hoped she would ignore it and move on.

“No-Nothing. Just, you know? Shitty transformation issues… I guess.”

She gave him a sad smile then and hesitated only a moment before putting a light hand to his shoulder, causing an extra pulse of pain in his aching skull. “It’s gonna be okay, bro. You’re handling this really well.”

The gentle tone surprised Morty, though he appreciated it more than anything. Hearing that Summer actually cared, that someone thought he was doing his best, or at the very least was trying to show genuine _support_ rather than just worrying, was such a welcome change.

“Thanks, Summer… Really.”

It was hard to speak so earnestly, considering how much they’d teased and argued over the years, but Morty had to say something to let his sister know he really did appreciate it. He knew this was hard on her as well, having to leave her boyfriend, her phone, and her entire secure life for her troublesome omega brother.

The pair shared a quiet moment of understanding before their parents broke the silence with clattering plates and steaming dishes they placed onto the table. It was a pretty nice sized breakfast, with three eggs and a loaf of bread. They had nearly as much as they did at home, so no one was complaining. And unlike their home routine, the family was actually able to eat together, a rare thing, especially at breakfast. It was almost nice.

The scent of eggs and toast wafted through the air, but a pungent smell of iron slithered into Morty’s nose and threw his heart and mind into a dizzying sprint. The omega whined as the aroma slowly filled his senses, mixing with the scent of wood and a far away fire, and sent the blood rushing to his groin. He itched to grab his length, throbbing with the need to be touched, but he hesitated. His family was around, and he could get caught. He shouldn’t do that here, and make things worse for everyone.

As the iron and flames clung to him, Morty could no longer refuse and quickly grabbed his slicked erection with a pained moan. It only caused more pain, but he couldn’t stop. He was driven near mad with the smells coaxing him toward _something_ , whispering of his much needed release.

He continued to palm at his length through the fabric, deaf to the questions around him, when in an instant Morty’s headache and groin conspired against him and delivered earth-shattering pain to the young omega.

Gasping for air, he fell to the floor, clutching at his head like it’d keep the contents in. The eyes were back on his again, and the frozen hands were wound around his waist, tracing circles over his sensitive skin. He rolled on the floor, praying that the gods would make it stop, the pain only being interrupted by his family dragging him back into the bedroom.

“Keep him-- Summer. Don’t let him leave. No matter what he--.”

He could feel his sister trying to rub soothing strokes along his back, but Morty felt trapped as his parents closed the door. The scent was out there. He needed to reach it, even if it killed him.

Now crawling out of Summer’s grasp with a strength he never knew, he ripped the door open and made it out of the room, his mind returning to him as he reached the front window. He didn’t need to peek through to know who it was. All of the pieces fell together.

The alpha had found him.   

Realizing his parents had gone out there to see him, Morty had to steal a look through the web-laced pane. He wasn’t sure if the gasp that escaped him was made out of fear or awe as he caught a glimpse of the emperor. He had blue hair, painted by the sky, and harsh lines that spoke of great strength, but most of all, he had eyes that could kill like the wolves surrounding him.

He broke his awed trance when he noticed the wolves slowly gathering around his parents, the alpha drawing closer to his prey. Fear suddenly choking the omega at the thought of his parent’s slaughter. He almost hoped they would betray him to spare their own lives and pressed his ear to the glass to find out, careful to stay hidden.

“The woods, really? Obviously you’re dumber than I thought, Beth Smith,” he drawled. “I’ve seen your file. You’re intelligent, even brilliant if the documents are true. And yet, you hide an omega away from an alpha in the goddamn woods.”

“I--I’m- We are trying to protect our son! What did you--”

“Oh yes, and your idiot husband. You really sold yourself short picking him as a mate. I mean, you’re only a beta, so I shouldn’t have expected much. But really,” he chuckled, sparring an unimpressed glance towards Jerry. “How pathetic.”

He circled the couple with a snarling smile, wolves diligently following close behind. This was clearly a game to him, just a way to prevent further inconvenience from a rogue family. It was hard to pay attention with the pulse of the headache beating rapidly in his skull, the smell closing in on him,  but Morty couldn’t take his eyes away from the dirtied glass.

“And no need to explain why you left the city. I understand why you did it, but I just know it was an idiot move considering who you’re up against. Or should I say ‘what’, to give you a better idea of your evolutionary disadvantage?”  The wolves began howling as if laughing at their leader’s dig about the couple’s supposed flaw as betas.

“What’s that? I-”  

Morty was deaf to the rest of what the emperor said. He just wanted to burst through the door and stop the onslaught of jeering, but he couldn’t, now understanding how much his parents were sacrificing to keep him safe. To go literally into the pack of wolves would only be another slap in the face. Yes, he needed to stay put and at least draw this search out as much as possible. The emperor didn’t deserve for it to be easy.

Though if Morty had to admit it, this was hard for him as well. It wasn’t just the dizziness or the fear any more, but his senses now betrayed him and obeyed the whims of the smells that stole into his nose and imprinted on his mind, prompting him to moan consistently enough to match the howls outside. His entire body was shaking with need now, and his erection was weeping for attention from an alpha, his own touches drawing tears, and his ring of muscles aching to be filled. He hated how his body wanted nothing more than to join itself to the emperor like the fur of a wolves’ back and never let go, even as his teeth ground together in disgust at the beast’s wicked actions. He was rooted in that spot, afraid to move either towards or away, forced to merely watch it all unfold.

As he let out a particularly loud moan, the emperor’s head snapped in his direction, honed in on his intended mate. The smirk on his face immediately fell and was replaced by a bone-chilling stare.

Morty quickly turned away from the window, a futile attempt to stay hidden, and wound into a shaking ball on the floor; eyes tucked into his lap.

The door snapped open.

“Finally.”

His eyes immediately jerked up, staring into the emperor’s as if yanked from their hiding place. Morty could see them clearly with their sharp, glacier blue that told of slaughters they’d seen, and dark blood splattered across his being, yet somehow, he felt _safe_. It was like those eyes spoke to him, his mind, and bound them together, taking away all the fear he’s had bottled up ever since this all began.

 _You’re safe. I will protect you_ , they whispered into his conscience. And he knew it was the truth.

He began to weakly crawl closer to the emperor, doing all he could to merely touch him, inhale that intoxicating scent, when he heard barking outside.

“Leave my family alone. Please.” It wasn’t as insistent as he hoped it would be, but it was all this entranced boy could muster. His defenses were shattering with each intake of breath.

The blue eyes stared back at him, silent. Their sharp edges momentarily glossed over, and the emperor shook his head to himself.

“Please, sir!” Morty hated that he begged the beast of his nightmares for mercy, and that it was a genuine struggle to do so, but he had to stick up for his family after all they’d done for him.

The emperor knelt down on his knees, coming just inches from Morty’s face, and took a deep breath. The brunet felt his heart race as he looked into those crystalline eyes, pupils dilating rapidly. He couldn’t help but stare, in want, despite his fear.

_You’re safe._

Morty watched breathlessly as the emperor extended a gloved hand towards his face, hissing as it made contact. He slid his thumb over the boy’s chin. It was coated in blood, chilling Morty’s skin as it left a scarlet trail, and the omega’s eyes rolled back as the leather thumb traced over his bottom lip. Unable to stop himself, Morty’s small tongue slowly reached out and swiped across it, coating itself in the taste of leather and iron. He’d found the scent, and despite how disgusted he may have been, he couldn’t help but moan breathily and steal another taste.

His whole body responded, falling into the touch, using the last of its weak strength to connect itself to the alpha. He got onto his knees and slowly inched closer, mind numb as it drowned in the scent of alpha, until he was exchanging breath with the man before him.  

He reached a trembling hand out, body aching for more contact, and slowly braced itself on the emperor’s shoulder, eliciting a growl deep in the emperor’s chest. He must have been under the same effects with Morty’s omega scent as he suddenly snatched the boy up into his arms and cradled him close.

Morty barely struggled against him, feeling an urgency to tie himself to this alpha in any way possible. After squirming for a few moments, he resigned and tucked himself deeper in the arms, whimpering quietly when his pants would rub against an arm. The sound appeared to drive the emperor mad, Morty could feel his heartbeat steadily quicken through the damp wool coat. Was he really responsible for that? He would blush if this situation wasn’t already so overwhelming. The thing of everyone’s nightmares enjoyed Morty’s touch.

When he felt the pinpricks of snow against his skin as he was carried out, the boy remembered his family. They were still in danger.

“Please, let-let my family go,” he whispered into the emperor’s ear, careful not to reach a hand up to caress him, lest he lose any more of his senses with the contact.

There was only a hum in response, but Morty knew his family would be spared.

The emperor whistled, immediately silencing the wolves.

“He’s spared your lives. Be grateful for his mercy.”

A chill ran down Morty’s spine as he heard the growl in the emperor’s chest, and he almost began to struggle against him again as the rational fear built once more. The crashing door behind them acted as a distraction to his struggles.

“Don’t take him!”

 _Summer_.

Morty truly began to panic now, fearing the wolves would attack this new target, causing his heart to beat out of his chest wildly. The emperor immediately noticed this fear, and a gloved hand came out to caress Morty’s cheek, a gesture that made the brunet hum in comfort.

“Don’t worry,” he whispered into his ear before straightening back up and glaring at Beth. “Your daughter’s got more guts than you-- stupidity sure, but loyalty _unlike you_.” There was a distinctly different tone with those words. Even in his ever increasingly lulled state, Morty could feel the anger radiating from the alpha above him.

“Justice will come eventually.”

With that, the emperor began walking into the trees, away from the silent family. He understood why, but as they entered into the darkness, Morty’s heart broke seeing his parents obediently walk towards the cabin, sparing only a glance back at their son as they pushed a furious daughter inside. Guess it was just human instinct to feel hurt by this, even though it meant their safety. What if he never saw them again? What if-- What if something happened to--

“Don’t worry, Morty,” the voice rumbled against his chest. “They can’t hurt you anymore.” He buried his face against the brunette, inhaling deeply at the covered throat, sending his own scent swirling around the other. Morty had to admit that it left him keening up into his tight jeans. That smell was so fucking good. Up close, it was like the scent of snow, burning wood, and leather with a twinge of iron. It drove him mad, and he almost wanted to rip the layers of clothing off from between them to drown in it. He may have been carried away from his family, from his blood, but Morty felt that if someone tried to tear him from the alpha holding him close, that would be his true undoing. It scared him how intensely he felt, though he was losing his will to care at this point, the mere proximity to the alpha easing the pressure in his skull.

He heard the familiar whirring of an engine above them and waited for the impact of the snow whistling through the trees and into his eyes, but it never came. The emperor quickly repositioned his body, turning in the opposite direction and shielding the boy in his arms with his thick black coat. Deeper growls escaped him as they made their way over to a helicopter that had landed in a clearing and ducked inside, sliding into a seat with Morty on his lap. It was subtle, but the brunet noticed the tightening grip around him as those sharp eyes locked on something upfront, too blurry in his muddled state for him to know.

“Oculos Aperire,” he ground out, seeming to talk to his wolves off to the sides, their eyes immediately connecting with the same thing in front of them and teeth baring into snarling frowns. It was both terrifying and fascinating to Morty, seeing them like this. These giant, ferocious creatures so obediently listening to their alpha.

Morty’s stomach dropped as the helicopter jostled, and a gasp escaped his chapped lips. The unfamiliar feeling of leaving the ground caused his insides to do a flip.

An unexpected sensation caused his core to burn, and his eyesight to completely blur: the emperor’s tongue licking down his ear and along his throat slowly. After he’d finished, he offered a breathy whisper into the brunet’s ear.

“Nothing will hurt you, Morty. I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...? Was it an okay meeting? Please don't hate it or anything. 
> 
> Also, this is the beginning of incorporating that blood and violence idea from the last chapter XD all of you convinced me to go for it haha. 
> 
> Again, thank you soooo much for reading my story. All of your comments and kudos and such really make me smile :)


	6. Alligare Vittas Hyacinthinas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m going to give you everything you want and more,” he purred, lips to his throat and hands caging the boy in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god I am finally posting the next chapter!! I am seriously so fucking nervous to post this one!! I feel like it is my worst chapter, so I'm scared it won't be good enough ahhhhh
> 
> Anyways, I hope it isn't too bad, and that you maybe might even like it :P 
> 
> Thanks for staying up with this story and sticking with me on this wild ride!

Morty was writhing in the emperor’s arms, beads of sweat trickling down his back and collecting with the blood on his thin sweater, occasionally dotting prints on his skin. He was trapped with that scent, and his body was pressed against the alpha, his strong heartbeat thumping inside the boy’s ears as he’d try to focus on anything else. It was all Morty could do not to full on thrust into the air in search of something to sate his needs. 

He didn’t dare look at the emperor for fear of losing even more of his mind to the sensations, the final drops of resistance falling to the floor with the powdered snow. But he could feel him. With only fabric between them, and his counterpart remaining stockstill, he felt the contracting of muscles, the imprints his tense fingers were leaving along his skin, and the hard length pressing against his abdomen as he was cradled in the alpha’s arms. 

The boy kicked himself for how badly he needed this. The headache seemed to be subsiding, but the forest fire burning within his chest was purging everything but the feeling of primal hunger. He could feel the lubricant emanating from him as he took in every detail of the alpha that seemed to surround him, whining quietly when he felt the wetness tease along his entrance. 

At the sound, the emperor nuzzled his chin into the damp curls and groaned under his breath, tightening his hold on Morty briefly before loosening it again. 

“We’re almost there,” he whispered, letting only his breath graze along heated skin. 

But with only the  _ promise _ of satisfaction to come, Morty’s body was becoming impatient, the small touches beginning to act as a catalyst for more need, much like Morty’s own touches had in the past. It was terrifying to consider what his body truly desired, the worries masked in desperation.

As he continued to move and readjust in the hold, Morty caught a blurred glimpse of the view outside, shocked by the glinting buildings in the bright sunlight. They were as tall as they were numerous, and he almost worried that they’d catch on one of the skyscrapers and crash to the ground; his only comfort from that being he knew the emperor wouldn’t allow that happen. 

_ Nothing will hurt you _ , it echoed in his clouded mind, frightening in its simplicity and confidence. Morty didn’t know how the emperor could be so sure, even though he himself was unable to question it. Somehow, he immediately believed every word this alpha spoke. He longed to hear that voice again, the deep call resonating as it choked all else into silence, its promises written into natural law. Fuck, it made him horny, and now he was squirming again until his erection caught on one of the emperor’s arms and moved slightly from side to side to get some painful, chafing friction. He assumed the emperor probably already knew everything, and even if he didn’t, Morty’s fight against the urge was over. 

He felt the arm move ever so slightly, and he could have sworn that he heard a moan, before one of the gloved hands slid down his body and over to his covered crotch, just holding it in place as he began rapping a boot against the floor. 

As soon as that large hand made contact, Morty yelped, keening his hips forward as he felt the blood from the glove bite through the fabric and trace down his soaked length. “Fuck,” he hissed, immediately silenced by the other hand coming around to dip two fingers between his parted lips and graze along his tongue. 

He only got a taste of that iron tang, the liquid mostly wiped off the leather, and Morty bit down to try and taste what was underneath, while telling himself it was solely to muffle his embarrassing sounds. He heard a quiet thud above him, catching a glimpse of the emperor resting his head back, eyes closed for a moment like he was focusing. That only served to drive him further on, letting his tongue sway along the pads of the leathered fingers while his teeth lightly worked at the material, a gutteral noise escaping him when he felt the thumb apply a slight pressure to the pulse of his throat. He wanted to be marked by those hands, torn apart by their touch and healed all the same. 

He tried to buck his hips up, wordlessly ask for that quenching ice touch to dull the flame within him when the hands were snapped back away in a heartbeat, the sound of the door thwapping open drawing his attention. He wanted to weep, beg for something, anything from the emperor, before he could feel they were moving, rather quickly too, the clicking of heels and claws underfoot as they darted back into the snow and inside of a building. 

It was cold inside, the chill nipping at his skin and eating through the damp marks along his clothes almost like they were outside. He could only make out a few details as they passed and climbed up a staircase at a dizzying speed. Most of it was in a blur of cream and white, marble stone and sturdy archways dotted with paintings and curvatures in design or dashes of red, all far more elegant and imposing than Morty was able to make out in the moment, before it all shifted into sterile blacks and blues, little works of machinery and a puzzle of straight lines everywhere. He could barely see it all as they passed, though it would make little difference considering how unfamiliar the scene was to him. Nothing was even remotely recognizable with wires and workings, screens pulsing and cameras gazing at them as they passed. 

He began to worry about where they could be going at the end of all of this, if he was going to be kept as some sort of prisoner as the rumors said, or if this was all going to end in a hideous trick, his heart echoing doubly fast at the thought. After what felt like hours of whining and panting, he got his answer as the alpha kicked open a door and placed him on a giant bed, feeling swallowed up by the mere size of the thing and crying as he felt the emperor remove his hands from his body. 

He looked up into his eyes, the blue of the alpha’s gaze enveloped by the ravenous black of his pupils, sending a chill down his spine. The alpha was covered in blood, and indeed the room itself seemed to be with white walls marred by slashes of red velvet and elegant tapestries. It looked to be the perfect sight of horror, a bloodied alpha ready to strike at the defenseless omega as he clenched his fists and scanned his body, clothes covered in blood that told of more to be spilled, yet it only served to bring the omega closer to his climax. Images of the emperor’s taut muscles flexing and teeth bared as he fought for  _ him _ , brawling others for his protection, flashed through his mind, compelling his hands to rise and trace along the splattered wool, the trophies of his victories, and try to pull the emperor down, begging him to take what he fought for. 

The emperor remained in place, his eyes still trained on the brunet’s body, a brow rising with the action as it appeared to sink in. Something in him seemed to snap with the physical plea, causing the alpha to untether himself to what… his conscience, his restraint, his sanity? Morty didn’t know, but within seconds, the emperor was hunched above him, a snarling bite away from his lips, ripping his gloves off before finally touching a weathered hand to his cheek and letting the fire quench his frozen touch. 

“I’m going to give you everything you want and more,” he purred, lips to his throat and hands caging the boy in. 

Morty’s breath caught, automatically craning his neck to give the alpha more access to the sensitive skin. It begged to be touched almost as much as his entrance, and he waited, bringing his hips up to accommodate both of his needs. Using the remains of comprehension, he examined the situation and knew this would be the sealing deal, needing some sort of mental confirmation that this was right, despite knowing he wouldn’t be able to stop regardless of the answer. 

“Wha-what’ll it mean?” he rasped out, biting his lip and looking away for a moment to catch his breath. He had no basis of comparison or comprehension to understand knots, marks, or any of this crazed hormone shit, or even sex. 

The intensity in the emperor’s eyes dulled a moment as he thread together his response, drawing a line of goosebumps along the brunet’s neck as he answered quietly. 

“It’s going to make me yours,” he whispered, his eyes watching Morty’s face as he appeared to calculate and translate his reaction. 

He didn’t know what exactly that meant, but the idea of the emperor being his sparked an entirely different fire in his chest, igniting something new inside, like the whispers of another conscience. He looked back into the alpha’s eyes, noting the eclipse of black waning even just for a moment as they were both pulled back into the current of lust, his pulsating erection being just one of the many harsh reminders. 

“Please.” 

The emperor nodded, and he drew his fingers down to the hem or Morty’s top, letting his nails dig moons into the untouched flesh as he went down for a open-mouthed kiss, nipping at his lip and lapping at his tongue, bringing the other hand around to cradle the boy’s head as he pressed his body against him. 

Morty had never been kissed before, but even if he had, he knew nothing would ever compare to this. It was like tasting a flame, feeling the heat of the fire and coming out unscathed as if becoming a part of it rather than succumbing and falling to ash. He didn’t even care to breathe, only pulling away from the touch to try and pull the emperor down closer to his erection. 

The alpha grumbled, nipping at the shell of his ear as he ripped off the boy’s shirt, unwilling to part for even another moment to pull the fabric over his head. 

When he felt the slicked surface of his cock also touch the air, he quaked and moved his hips, embarrassed and habitually trying to hide himself away as the instincts were ushering him further forward. 

The alpha stopped for a moment, staring at his body as he grit his teeth, bringing his own hips forward and his lips back down to the scent in Morty’s neck, lightly biting at the skin and coating it in saliva. Just the sight of this, of this near god (or demon) seeming so utterly… out of control was more than entrancing, and Morty could feel another trail of slick dribbling from the tip and gliding down, forcing him to wrap his legs around the other tightly, bringing him closer and rubbing against the tightness in the slacks. His hands were pulling at the fabric of the jacket, clinging to the scents and counting the imprints of blood being stamped onto him. 

There was chafing with his desperate movement. An obvious result of the omega’s unwillingness to wait as the alpha man worked off his clothes. Morty just couldn’t help it. 

He was going blind with the feel of more skin-against-skin contact, the intensity of its impact like the rumored Klaxian crytals of old, said to enhance a warrior’s thirst for blood tenfold and dull the pain to make it the sensation of pleasure. 

Tears began to build in his eyes, his body shuttering and mouth running mindlessly as he asked to please be filled, to have everything the emperor could give him and take the pain away, it has only been moments since they’d started, and yet he couldn’t wait any longer for the finish. 

“I’ll give you all of that and more, baby. I’m gonna make you cum and take aaaaall the pain away in no time,” he promised, bringing his newly exposed body flush against Morty and hissing as he felt the slick surface press into his chest again, their heartbeats colliding and drowning out the noise of rapid movements. 

The emperor quickly brought a hand down and underneath Morty, bringing him a few inches off of the bed as he coated his fingers in the natural lube and breathed out a deep sigh. 

“You smell so fucking good, Morty.” He brought the hand between his cheeks, inches from his contracting entrance. “I bet you feel and taste even better too.” 

With that, he dipped a single finger into the entrance, twirling it a little and biting down on the boy’s neck at an agonizing intensity. In that blinding moment, Morty’s mind jolted as if yanked at the end of a ribbon, one dragging him down a road and closer to something. He wanted to take a look at what, but he was quickly pulled away before he had the chance.

When he came to again, he realized he was screaming, a hand knotted in the cascading blue tendrils. He looked into the eyes staring back at him, the alpha halted in his moments as they both seemed to be piecing a puzzle together. In a mere moment, the emperor was biting back down and thrusting another finger past the ring of muscle. 

The hunger came crashing back like a suckerpunch to the gut, and the poor boy was back to panting and squirming. He tried to push forward for more friction while working himself down and backwards against the fingers, his head falling slack with the onslaught of sensations. There was very little Morty could do to stop this, if he did indeed want to. 

His body contracted, the ring of muscles moving and taking in the fingers greedily, feeling hot and even more painful as it was teased at being truly filled. 

“E-emperor Sanchez!” he cried, feeling the fingers slither deeper inside of him and graze against something that shot pinpricks of pleasure down his spine. “Please, please, I need your knot,” he found himself say, bucking and moving his hips even more. 

“Shh, it’s alright, baby. Your alpha’s getting there. Rick is getting there,” he breathed out, keeping his voice quiet and surprisingly calm despite how guttural and predatorial the tone was. 

Morty barely processed that his name was Rick and just nodded, trying to slow his breathing and whirling mind as he felt another finger enter inside of him, pushing his hips down only a little as the three pressed against his walls and parted, touching that spot again and toppling his resilience once more. 

The emperor pressed a kiss to his lips, letting the boy extend or cut off the interaction however long he wanted, allowing him to have control in at least one aspect of the situation, deepenning only as he pulled out his fingers to keep him distracted until he could bring the tip of his length to the entrance, warm and coated in the slick. He brought one of Morty’s hands down to it, letting out a low hiss when the tender fingers wrapped around it, guiding the quivering hand down the shaft and to the perineum. 

“Are you ready for it, baby?” he whispered, tightening his hold on the omega’s back, waiting for an answer and holding both of them steady. 

Morty was shocked at how well-endowed the emperor was, hearing that alphas were often said to be that way, but nonetheless surprised. A thrill thumped in his chest as he eagerly nodded his head. He could finally feel filled in the way his body so desperately needed. Maybe it would hurt like hell along the way, but his sprinting mind had no doubt that he would make it work. 

Rick nodded, placing his hands back down on the bed, and looked into Morty’s golden brown eyes while easing inside. The poor omega could barely pay him any mind, tears streaming down his cheeks as he felt the length enter and slide in completely to the sheath. He held his breath, as if it would help with the fit and felt almost as if his body would snap if it were any bigger. They hadn’t even gotten to the knot yet either. He could feel each of the veins lining the shaft as they slid over the adjusting walls and found himself still wanting more, needing more to find that release: more pain, more sensations, more marks, and he was willing to work for them. 

Keeping his eyes closed, he scratched his nails along Rick’s back, pulling them brutally down to his ass as he tried to bury him deeper. The emperor seemed to be of the same mindset, and he, almost too quickly, began thrusting his hips, mixing the sound of smacking flesh with groans and whines. He brought his mouth back to the milky white throat, canines digging in deep. Morty could feel a warm thread of blood starting to tease down to the sheets. 

The pain of it all was intense, and Morty found more tears were beginning to spill out of his eyes, as if on cue. It was a strange sort of pain to be cut like that, much like that of being filled as he was. It was overwhelming yet securing, and it was as if he was slowly melding together with the alpha. Mentally as well as physically, boundaries being demolished by that thin little string, its length growing and wrapping around everything it touched. 

As the blood began to drip down the crook of his neck and onto the sheets, he felt something brush across his mind, his hunger, but almost as if it were mirrored back as a second set of the feeling. 

The alpha looked back up at Morty with dark red lips on his smile, and as the omega stared at him this time, there was a new depth to him. Despite looking back into those same ash colored orbs, he could see a new fire burning within, images etched in the darkness which offered him clarity and a sense of what was dwelling behind those hidden doors. 

And then he was back down, drawing calligraphy of scars with his teeth and tongue as he quickened his pace still, their touching hearts beginning to beat in unison. 

“Please, please knot me, alpha! I need you to cum inside me,” he found himself bawling, having given up shame long ago on this subject. He felt worshipped. Every inch of his body was being pleased and noticed and only the emperor, Rick, could give that feeling to him. He’d have to figure out what this all meant when it was over, just not now. 

Morty felt another deep bite on his throat, and then another, and then another; the alpha seeming to mark every inch of the brunet’s throat, encouraged with each cry and tearful plea for more, turning his head and dragging horizontal stripes all of the way across it. Though he couldn’t see them, the boy was becoming more and more aware of not only the king’s actions, but his following intentions, closing his eyes to see the screen of that traveling ribbon again. He scraped his hand through the wild blue hair, mussed and teasing at his chills from time to time. 

“You taste so good, Morty.” Rick came back up, smiling when he heard the omega cry with another swipe along that spot inside him. His mouth was covered in blood, Morty’s own blood, and the boy desperately wanted to try it, to see what Rick was talking about, to taste what he had and know what he knew, opening his mouth and waiting for him to come down for another liplock. 

This taste of iron was completely different to what he swiped from the glove, disgusting in its flavor but somehow gratifying in the fact that his alpha enjoyed it. He bit down hard on Rick’s swollen lower lip, harder than he expected, and got a taste of his blood as well, now feeling just a step away from his climax as the intoxicating sample slid down his throat. The doors that had been waiting in the dark corridors were just steps away from him and the winding ribbon. He could see it behind Rick’s eyes. 

“You ready to cum, sweetheart?” the alpha whispered, leaning his forehead against Morty’s as he wiped away a pleasure-induced tear and ran his thumb over the bobbing Adam’s apple. 

He really was. Morty was ready to cum days ago, when all of this shit started, his body begging for this the whole time and finally getting the opportunity now. “Yes, fuck yes, Rick,” he whined, tilting his hips a little to get contact on that place again when Rick would take him. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t scared, he just hoped Rick wouldn’t be able to see that. 

“I’ve got you, baby. Your alpha’s gonna take good care of you.” 

With the soothing words, Morty came, feeling hot release coat his sweaty, taut torso, and the ring of muscles tightening around Rick, the rest of his body falling limp against the bed. He could feel hot cum spilling inside him, threatening to drip and puddle out of the entrance, stopped only by the knot beginning to swell.

In that instant, the doors flew open, blue ribbon flying out in a deluge of tangled strands, each one tying an end to one of Morty’s scarlet strands, a new stillness taking over as the laces stood knotted taut in the air, the sound of a new heart beat breaking through the silence. 

He stared through the singular image, nestled in the pools of the emperor’s eyes, and trying to shake whatever this new feeling wrapped around him was. As his entry was emptied out again, everything seemed to take on a harsh clarity. 

His heat was over, but Morty Smith had an entirely new crisis on his hands. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for your support in reading this far into the story!!! <3 
> 
> I am so sorry that you had to wait so long for such a mediocre update, but it's all I've got for ya at the moment. 
> 
> Rest assured that there will be better sexy times in the future lol 
> 
> Also, y'all convinced me to include the blood kink/blood play, so I hope you enjoyed that aspect here haha
> 
> Love you all and thanks for reading!!!


	7. Duobus Timoribus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clearly these peeps don't know how to enjoy an afterglow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wowza it has been a long time since I've updated this story! So, to get back in the swing of things little by little, I just have this short blurb for the chapter :D I hope you like it and can forgive me for abandoning this piece for so long! The inspo has been flowing recently, so I have no doubt more will be coming in the next few weeks~ Hopefully better than my half ass effort here XD

Morty’s eyes fluttered open, as if waking from a dream.

He could still see flitting images of blood and snow, and the glow of swirling black eyes devouring his skin, but the euphoric gleam to it all had disappeared, his perception of his new reality coming in clear as the returning blue of the emperor’s eyes. He’d fucked up bad, the screaming pain in his throat just one indication, and the feel of bloodied silks being another. 

He wanted to ask how the hell this all happened, cry out a plea for answers, but he knew he couldn’t. 

Despite how terrified and confused he felt, how conflicted and tossed about he had become, he understood there was no one to blame but himself. He’d crawled away from his sister, he’d climbed into the alpha’s arms, and he’d begged for satisfaction. The emperor had only done what he’d asked for, nothing more, nothing less. And as much as the boy hated to admit it, he’d loved every moment of it, still experiencing the pangs of pleasure that came with the pain he’d been gifted. 

Not to mention those eyes. The gaze that the clearing blue orbs shimmered with made it harder to fight all of this and be afraid. It wasn’t like their time in the woods where they’d lulled him into a submissive calm. It was almost like they were calming in their softness now, a hint of affection glowing behind them as they continued to look Morty over, examine his wounds and take in the blows he’d dealt to the much smaller body. 

Summoning the little strength he had, the omega looked away from those cursed, comforting eyes, doing all he could to resist any more of their power they held over him, afraid he’d lose all sense of doubt if he gave them a moment longer. They almost looked hurt by the gesture, the feeling sticking to him as he forced away his sympathy and kept his eyes down, mind scrambling for some semblance of focus after such decimation of learned control. 

One thing was sure, if he wanted to get back to some sanity, he needed to remove himself from here, this bed and this man; the smell of sex and blood swarming around him and making his head dizzy, spent hole and cock still lurching with the drug-like pull. It was as if no matter how hard he tried, something was pulling Morty back to the alpha, wrapping him in those taut ribbons and yanking him lovingly back to where he belonged, at the emperor’s side. 

But there was no time for that. That couldn’t possibly be where Morty actually belonged. He knew the stories, remembered each of the tales of blood spattering and cries coming from cages, sure that if he stuck around too long, he’d end up just like the others in stories, trapped in a prison and dead with nothing but sex as his lifeline. 

Fearing that more than all else, he coaxed his body up, moving into a hunched sitting position and carding a hand through his scattered curls. Blessedly, the headache was gone, but his entire body ached in a new way, most of all his hips and throat, the weak frame unable to adjust to such a quick and intense new experience. He could also feel the flame from eyes burning into his back, but he dared not turn around to meet them, focusing instead on the carved archways and columns lined throughout the room, biting his lip as he tried not to focus on the warm trails of blood tracing down his sweat chilled skin. 

Spirited away in the thoughts of his new life, the brunet squeaked at the feel of a tongue lapping at his neck, the wet muscle soothing over the marks one at a time. He was utterly fucked again with the contact, mind melting back into a puddle. It felt good, too good, and he couldn't decide whether it was worth it to stop it, or if he even had the voice to do it. Perhaps he could just blame it on fear of repercussions that he stayed deadly, tremblingly silent.  

“They’re beautiful,” The emperor whispered through the stillness, prompting a small moan from Morty’s bitten lips when he nipped at one of the deepest bites. His breath was hot against his chills, lulling and soft enough to almost make the boy fall back into his arms. 

It was frustrating beyond belief that he was so weak. There was a small part of him that still wanted to push the other away, walk out of the room or at least tell him that that was disgusting, but the majority of himself felt so… proud. A surge of confidence rippling with the words. 

He’d never been called beautiful or felt so connected to someone before, not even in his family, and now here he was, with the leader of the world, tandem hearts beating in his chest and soft words peppered against a tediously kiss-bitten neck. It was almost like this was meant to be, the boy finding it easier to relax with another kiss over his skin. 

The emperor was so gentle with him, treating him like a treasured lover instead of a fuck toy, and something in Morty wanted to return the favor, craning his neck to showcase the extensive handiwork on his neck, allow the man to see he was proud. It felt embarrassing and stupid to do so, and even more guilt-inducing, but Morty tried to glaze it over with excuses again. Reasoning this time that it was a protection for himself, going along with the whims of the emperor to appease him. Though he knew he’d always been a bad liar. 

Setting that aside for now, he continued to move and shift for the emperor, trying to keep himself from writhing and whimpering with the continued ministrations, sharpened canines barely grazing the bone when the alpha pressed close from behind and lapped up the blood from the wells of Morty’s collarbone. He couldn’t help but pull a hand into the emperor’s hair, tugging him a bit closer and shivering with the reactionary groan.

By the time the emperor finished, he straddled behind Morty, their hearts pressed together as he rested against the quivering brunet, seated on soaked sheets as he traced a finger down Morty’s shoulder, letting it wander to his chest and trickle slow as the blood from before. It raised chills along the excited skin, and it near killed the omega when he realized just how in sync they were, down to the breath of their lungs and the beat of their hearts. 

“Beautiful?” He asked eventually, trying to draw the emperor’s attention from his already growing erection. Scared he’d never be able to stop this cycle if he didn’t cut it off now. 

“Mhmm. I’ll show you.” 

The alpha pulled away, untangling himself from Morty and the sheets, but quickly re-attached himself when he stood and rested a hand above the boy’s tailbone to pull him up along with him. It made the omega acutely aware of the fact they were both still naked, the reminder chilling his skin before he’s been picked up again and nuzzled into the alpha’s warm hold. Despite his heat being sated, the sensation still made his blood scald from within, eyes foggy with the intoxicating contact. 

He can see and feel that them moving, passing by more curtains of red and imposing stone carvings, but his gaze remained unfocused, thoughts lost on the idea of their destination. 

Wrapped in the emperor’s arms, they ended up in a prodigious washroom, probably as large as his and Summer’s rooms combined. Like the walk into the bedroom, it made the boy dizzy, the room a bizarre mix of the blue and black futurism and the ancient elegance out the door. The counters were of black marble, creamy silver mirrors shimmering all around the room, and the tub and shower were of carved white stone, images etched into the sides of the walls stocked with bizarre and potion-like bottles. Taking it all in, Morty was placed onto a wood stool in front of a mirror wall, eyes wide as he stared back at his reflection. 

His throat was painted in reds and purples, the scattered violet teeth marks highlighting the red smearings. And along the entire width of his neck, he could see the lines the emperor drew, stripes of sharp canines claiming his neck and highlighting the quickened bob of his his pulse. They were so dark, he wondered if it was possible to scar, and he felt more surprise at himself as he considered he'd still been begging for more. 

He’d been taught that bites bound them, alphas and omegas, but he had no idea it would be like this. It was brutal yet beautiful, artful in its variation of sharp color, but foreboding in its completeness. The boy could only wonder how it would look if the emperor was pursuing to hurt him, sure the wounds would be nothing but a deluge of blood if that were the case. It made him consider just how soft the alpha had been, just to give him pleasure. 

“What do you think?” Came the low voice from behind, the carved marble complexion coming into view as he bent down, resting his head close to Morty’s and taking a long pull of his scent. 

The emperor had some marks as well, his lips swollen and cracked as the boy’s from their kisses, but his skin was mostly unblemished, the toned canvas of his body luminescent in the shine of the dark mirror. What would it look like if he gave the alpha a bite of his own?

Morty stared at their reflections, past his thoughts, eyes connecting with Rick’s as he whispered the answer. 

“Beautiful… I mea--They hurt a little…” 

He shook himself to reclaim his mind, turning his head down from the watchful reflection of eyes. He shouldn’t think about what the emperor would look like with bites… That wasn’t his place at all; he was the alpha, and Morty was the omega. Decisions were no longer up to him. Not that he was upset about it or the pain of the bites, but there was little else to say. He wasn’t going to complain to the alpha and emperor when he was the one who’d brought this upon himself, and he definitely wasn’t going to thank him, summon into existence the words of his true emotions on the matter. It still seems wrong to him, the progress too fast and unfamiliar as he’d gone from an unwanted virgin to a claimed and marked mate. There seemed little logic in being honest. 

“Well, I’ll draw you a bath,” Rick responded, looking into their reflections with softening eyes, giving the wounds a small kiss before he turned to a side panel and tapped a few buttons, the tub on the other side filling on its own, soaps and serums in blues or bright golds being mixed into the water as the towering alpha walked a d  bent near the bowl, stirring them into the steaming water and watching it foam before sprinkling in a black powder, offering a small, approving nod at the sight. 

It looked like sorcery to Morty, all of the mixing and additions, but he was more concerned about getting into the water, already wincing as he was swept into the other’s arms and held above the water. He was preparing for it to sting like hell, closing his eyes and tensing his muscles before he was placed inside, the feel of warm water healing every ache in his shivering body. 

He gawked in surprise, pulling some of the foamy blue water into his hands and trying to figure out how it worked, the water Rick was splashing onto his back relieving the tension in muscles that’d been a bother since the beginning of high school. Did it have to do with the color of the water, the concoctions thrown into them…? How? 

“It’s simple alderthax and carbordaf components pulled from plants. When they’re diluted in water, they soothe wounds.” 

Morty nodded to the answer of his unspoken questions, recognizing the names of those properties from his failed Biology class, surprised at how much the other seemed to know about them. It was common knowledge that the emperor was strong in mind as well as body, but he’d always thought the intelligence had gone to military strategy, never expecting the man to heal instead of hurt anything he encountered. 

“Oh,” Was all he could say, nodding a little as he moved the bubbles closer to himself. 

Something about this seemed too vulnerable, too intimate for simple sex and cycles of survival, and he felt as if he needed to be guarded, hidden away before he betrayed a part of himself with the comfort that slipped into his bones. He shouldn’t feel at ease now, not when this man, this creature threatened to hurt his family and swooped him away from everything he knew. Even if the hand massaging down his back was helping him forget all the fear of his hellish week. 

He caught sight of flaming red, the blood on Rick’s knuckles, peeking as it faded to softer pink hues and considering how he’d gotten hurt. It seemed like it would’ve taken an army to take the alpha down, and Morty bit his lip, biting back the worry that spilled into his mind with the irrational thought of him being injured. 

“Are they painful?” He asked through the sound of splashing water, keeping his head down towards the swirling steam and bubbles. Though he knew he shouldn’t care, he couldn’t help his concern. 

“Just a scratch. Nothing to worry about it.” 

Was that what he was? Worried? Why the hell would he, lowly omega Morty be worried about the damn emperor of Cor Bestia, beast of an alpha Rick Sanchez? Perhaps he was too soft, allowing himself to feel connected and empathetic with what he’d been taught to fear. 

“Well, I’m glad they’re alright,” He mumbled in response, feeling a twinge of fear as he saw the fists clench behind him, Rick’s lips pulled back like a whip as he climbed to his feet and grumbled. 

“Yeah. Sur--I’ll just let you get to your bath then. Take as much time as you need.” 

And with a nod, the emperor was gone, slamming the door shut and leaving Morty painfully confused and more excruciatingly, alone. 

 

\------

What the fuck was he doing wrong?! 

Rick near punched the wall to his right as he walked out of the washroom, ripping off the bloodied and cum-soaked sheets of his bed and fisting them in his paling hands. 

He knew the boy enjoyed what they’d done, feeling the singing wires course through like they might actually be true mates, and yet. Morty pulled away. 

He could sense it in the fear scattering around the spiced warmth of his calm, stinging snap of anxiety wavering and resurging in the air from time to time. But what was it he was doing wrong? The emperor had made sure the home was in perfection condition when they returned, followed the pull of both of their words and desires, and allowed himself to be affectionate, Morty being the first person he’d felt a twinge of real intimacy for. 

Still, the fear remained. Even now, he could smell it strong and thick, feel it cracking his bones as it had at 16, driving the alpha crazy as it all mixed with the scent of a sated heat. He had to move and shove open a window, hoping to clear the air if not his warring mind. 

With no clarity whatsoever, he gave into his instincts, that part that needed to know and conquer whatever stood in his way, and pushed his way back into the bathroom, falling to his knees at the rim of the tub, eyes burning with confusion. 

“What do I need to do to make you love me?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it! Thanks for sticking around with me for this long :D It's a joy to see my ABO children again

**Author's Note:**

> Respectful comments and kudos are appreciated :D


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